Tunisia

Since my return to Tunis on Friday I’ve been amazed at the amount of information coming our way here at the Tunisia Security Update blog. On that note I would like to say thank you to all the expats and Tunisians that support us with insightful information.

Blog Update

We’ve updated the blog and moved it to a self hosted site. It’s the same domain (www.tunisiasecurityupdate.com) but we weren’t able to transfer all of our subscribers (over 2k!).

If you would like to receive these updates directly into your email inbox please visit the new website and click on the subscribe button. Simply enter your email and presto you will receive free security updates which you can view on any electronic device.

Since 2011 the purpose of the this blog was to empower expats with practical & relevant security information. The security situation in Tunisia remains challenging but with the right setup and network we will continue to thrive in this beautiful country.

Please check out the blog homepage, subscribe and let me know what you think.

As we stated in our previous postings, the threat level in Tunisia has increased and the month of Ramadan is proving to be very challenging for Tunisians. This is a great time for us to review what happened and look beyond.

What’s going on?

At least 14 Tunisian soldiers were killed when gunmen with rocket-propelled grenade attacked two checkpoints in the Chaambi mountain range.

Tunisian government stated that the attackers are tied to Al-Qaeda’s North Africa wing, known as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Minster of Interior Mr. Ben Jeddou stated that since the start of Ramadan they’ve foiled six terrorist operations in Tunisia.

Short Term=Tourism hit

Mount Chaambi is a war zone so it is very likely that similar incidents will take place. On a broader level, the last couple of days have been a public relations nightmare for Tunisian tourism. The Brits took the lead by warning its citizens of a “high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping.”

Specifically, the FCO advises against: “all but essential travel to areas south of, and including, the towns of Nefta, Douz, Medenine and Zarzisj, and to within 30km of the border with Algeria from south of the town of Ghardinaou.”

To put it bluntly, this really sucks for Tunisia especially since the number of British visitors to Tunisia reached a new record last year with more than 400,000 visitors.

Long Term=Great Security Challenge

Here are my top 3 reasons why I think we (Tunisians & Expat Community) have great security challenges ahead:

Parliamentary elections (currently) scheduled to take place on October 26th & Presidential elections on November 23rd

And as if these weren’t challenging enough we also have to look at even more alarming developments such as “reports indicating the return of Libyan jihadists and others from Tunisia to their countries to create branches of ISIS in North Africa.”

Expat Deep Breath

Since 2011 we’ve seen how resilient, peaceful, and kind Tunisians are. We certainly hope for the best for Tunisia but as expats we have to focus on ensuring that our personal security matches or exceeds the threat level.

With the right setup, mindset, and network we can continue to live & thrive in beautiful Tunisia. This is true for both tourists & expats.

A recent incident which took place in Cite El Khalil La Marsa serves as a good reminder for the expat community about the importance of residential security in Tunisia. Fortunately, nobody was hurt but the nature of the incident is very concerning. Hopefully we can benefit from the incident by raising awareness & taking practical measures.

A recent incident which took place in Cite El Khalil La Marsa serves as a good reminder for the expat community about the importance of residential security in Tunisia. Fortunately, nobody was hurt but the nature of the incident is very concerning. Hopefully we can benefit from the incident by raising awareness & taking practical measures.

The Overseas Security Advisory Council (O.S.A.C.) was “created in 1985 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to promote security cooperation between American private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State.”

Each year OSAC publishes a Crime & Safety Report covering a variety of security & safety topics. I find the report very helpful especially for newly arrived expats.

Below is a brief presentation highlighting the key aspects of the report. I hope you find the information helpful and let’s continue to share practical security information.

Brief: T(Reuters) – Tunisia’s next presidential and parliamentary elections will probably be held in the second half of November, the election agency chief said on Saturday, about polls that will mark the country’s final step towards full democracy.Read More

The 31st crafts exhibition will be held in Le Kram from 25 April to 4 May this year. At the event it is reported that 580 exhibitors will show their best stuff from a vast range of crafts, interior decorating, clothing, and much more. Over 130,000 visitors are expected to attend and the National Handicrafts Office (ONA) has high hopes for the event.

Situational Awareness

Each year many expats attend this event and usually walk away with great gifts and a pleasurable experience. On the flip side, these events are a good time to review practical personal security tips.

3. Empower: Remember most crimes in Tunisia are “Crimes of Opportunity“…don’t present the opportunity. Walking while talking on your cell phone=opportunity, Leaving your hand bag unattended=opportunity, taking out large amounts of cash to pay for something=opportunity.

Feedback

Please feel free to share you’re experience if you attend this event. Perhaps other expats will benefit from your feedback & tips.